Abstract: An encapsulation material, intended for use in encapsulated electrophoretic displays, comprises the coacervation product of a polyanionic polymer having a vinyl main chain and a plurality of anionic groups bonded to the main chain, with a cationic or zwitterionic water-soluble polymer capable of forming an immiscible second phase on contact with the polyanionic polymer.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method designed to allow the reaction of two or more liquids through collision as separate jets within a mixing chamber with a small residence time to produce a sub-micron solid particle dispersion. The liquid jet impingement is achieved by pumping each liquid separately at a high flow rate though an orifice, that produces a high-velocity stream that collides with the opposing jet of another stream and dispenses the final sub-micron solid particle dispersion without restriction immediately upon mixing into a bulk stabilizer solution.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display comprises a fluid and a plurality of nanoparticles having diameters substantially less the wavelengths of visible light such that, when the nanoparticles are in a dispersed state and uniformly dispersed throughout the fluid, the fluid presents a first optical characteristic, but when the nanoparticles are in an aggregated state in which they are gathered into aggregates substantially larger than the individual nanoparticles, the fluid presents a second optical characteristic different from the first optical characteristic. The electrophoretic display further comprises at least one electrode arranged to apply an electric field to the nanoparticle-containing fluid and thereby move the nanoparticles between their dispersed and aggregated states. Various compound particles comprising multiple nanoparticles, alone or in combination with larger objects, and processes for the preparation of such compound particles, are also described.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of forming a protective overcoat on a photographic element which element includes a processing-solution-permeable overcoat that becomes water-resistant in the final product without lamination or fusing. The method involves the incorporation of a small amount of a water-soluble organic solvent in the last step of the photographic process, i.e., during the washing step. This method allows the use of durable water-resistant protective overcoat materials with relatively high glass transition temperatures, that normally do not convert to impermeable films at low temperature, or without fusing.

Abstract: The incorporation of coupler chemistry into the fluorescent element results in a greatly improved fluorescence imaging element, displaying higher photographic speed, higher contrast, and improved image discrimination. The coupler chemistry comprises the combination of a developing agent that generates an oxidized form on reaction with exposed silver halide, together with a molecule capable of forming a stable reaction product, preferably a dye, by reaction with the oxidized form of the developer. This will have the effect of a sink for oxidized developer formed during development. In a preferred embodiment, dye-forming chemistry is combined with fluorescent imaging to provide dramatic improvements in performance of the fluorescent system.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a photothermographic imaging element comprising at least one silver halide imaging layer containing a fluorophore. The imaging element can be exposed and then processed by heating to form an image in which the intensity of the fluorescence from the element is modulated imagewise to yield a fluorescent image of the light intensities to which the element was exposed. The present invention is also directed to a method of processing photothermographic film that has been imagewise exposed in a camera, which method in order comprises thermally developing the film step without any externally applied developing agent, comprising heating said film to a temperature greater than 80° C.

Abstract: The present invention is a photographic element which includes a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer superposed on the support and a processing-solution-permeable protective overcoat overlying the silver halide emulsion layer that becomes water-resistant in the final product without lamination or fusing. The present invention is also directed to a method of making a photographic print involving developing the photographic element.

Abstract: The present invention provides an overcoat for a photographic element that allows for appropriate diffusion of photographic processing solutions. The overcoat comprises 10 to 50% by weight of a enzyme-degradable biopolymer and 50 to 90% by weight of hydrophobic particles (by weight of dry laydown of the entire overcoat). An enzyme is applied to the element before, during, or after conventional photoprocessing. According to one embodiment of the invention, the photographic element can be exposed and processed using normal photofinishing equipment, with no modifications, to provide an imaged element together with a protective, water-resistant layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to imaged elements having a protective overcoat that resists fingerprints, common stains, and spills. In particular, a curable overcoat composition is applied to an imaged element that contains a curing agent incorporated into a top layer of the element, resulting in a cured water-resistant or spill resistant overcoat. The invention can be used to protect photographic elements and recording media. In one embodiment of the invention, a UV-curable material and a water-dispersible latex is applied to a photographic print containing a photoinitiator incorporated into the original print.

Abstract: The present invention provides an overcoat for a photographic element that allows for appropriate diffusion of photographic processing solutions. The overcoat comprises 10 to 50% by weight of a enzyme-degradable biopolymer and 50 to 90% by weight of hydrophobic particles (by weight of dry laydown of the entire overcoat). An enzyme is applied to the element before, during, or after conventional photoprocessing. According to one embodiment of the invention, the photographic element can be exposed and processed using normal photofinishing equipment, with no modifications, to provide an imaged element together with a protective, water-resistant layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an overcoat for a photographic element that allows for appropriate diffusion of photographic processing solutions. The overcoat comprises 10 to 50% by weight of a enzyme-degradable biopolymer and 50 to 90% by weight of hydrophobic particles (by weight of dry laydown of the entire overcoat). An enzyme is applied to the element before, during, or after conventional photoprocessing. According to one embodiment of the invention, the photographic element can be exposed and processed using normal photofinishing equipment, with no modifications, to provide an imaged element together with a protective, water-resistant layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to imaging elements, including photographic elements and recording media, having a protective overcoat that resists fingerprints, common stains, and spills. More particularly, the present invention provides a processing-solution-permeable protective overcoat that is water resistant in the final processed product. The overcoat, before formation of the image, comprises hydrophobic polymeric particles in a gelatin matrix. Subsequent treatment of the overcoat, after formation of the image, to remove the gelatin, causes coalescence of the hydrophobic particles, resulting in the formation of a water-resistant continuous protective overcoat.

Abstract: The present invention relates to imaging elements, including photographic elements and recording media, having a protective overcoat that resists fingerprints, common stains, and spills. More particularly, the present invention provides a processing-solution-permeable protective overcoat that is water resistant in the final processed product. The overcoat, before formation of the image, comprises hydrophobic polymeric particles in a gelatin matrix. Subsequent treatment of the overcoat, after formation of the image, to remove the gelatin, causes coalescence of the hydrophobic particles, resulting in the formation of a water-resistant continuous protective overcoat.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gelatin-based aqueous-coatable overcoat for a photographic element that allows for appropriate diffusion of photographic processing solutions. The overcoat comprises 10 to 50% by weight gelatin and 50 to 90% by weight of hydrophobic particles (by weight of dry laydown of the entire overcoat) having an average diameter of 10 to 500 nm. A proteolytic enzyme is applied to the clement in reactive association with the overcoat layer. A photographic element according to one embodiment of the invention can be exposed and processed using normal photofinishing equipment, with no modifications, to provide an imaged element together with a protective, water-resistant layer.

Abstract: The present invention is an imaged photographic element having a protective overcoat thereon. The protective overcoat is formed by providing a photographic element having at least one silver halide light-sensitive emulsion layer; and applying an aqueous coating comprising polymer particles having an average size of 0.1 to 50 microns at a weight percent of 5 to 50 percent, a soft polymer latex binder at a weight percent of 1 to 3 percent, over the at least one silver halide light-sensitive emulsion layer. The silver halide light sensitive emulsion layer is developed to provide an imaged photographic element. The hydrophobic polymer particles is fused to form a protective overcoat.

Abstract: A photographic element and an aqueous coating composition for providing a layer to a photographic element are disclosed. The coating composition comprises gelatin in a concentration greater than about 6% by weight, and a palladium complex having the structure: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, and R.sup.8 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl or alkaryl, the alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or alkaryl optionally being substituted with a hydroxy, sulfonate, amino or ammonium group; and wherein any two of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, and R.sup.8 can be bonded to form a ring;Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.

Abstract: This invention contemplates droplets of liquid lubricant, each droplet coated with colloidal particulate suspension stabilizing agent.The invention also contemplates a method of making size stable lubricant droplets by forming a discontinuous phase of lubricant droplets in a continuous aqueous phase containing a particulate suspension stabilizing agent, reducing the size of the lubricant droplets and limiting the coalescence of the lubricant droplets by action of the particulate suspension stabilizing agent.A third aspect of the invention is an imaging element comprising a support, at least one light-sensitive layer and a protective layer further removed from the support than the light-sensitive layer, at least one layer containing droplets of lubricant coated with colloidal particulate suspension stabilizing agent.

Abstract: A method of making polymeric particles of at least 1.0 micrometer which comprises forming at atmospheric conditions droplets of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer the monomer being liquid at standard conditions of 0.degree. C. and one atmosphere pressure, together with from about 0.01 to about 5 percent by weight, based on the weight of the monomer, of a nonreactive compound in an aqueous medium, the nonreactive compound having a solubility in water less than that of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer, the aqueous medium containing a surfactant or organic hydrophilic colloid, the monomer droplets being formed by using only sufficient energy to achieve a size of 1.0 micrometer or larger, and polymerizing the ethylenically unsaturated monomer.

Abstract: A stabilized photographic dispersion is prepared by adding a hydrophobic, photographically inert compound which has a logP.sub.(calc) greater than about 9 and does not solidify or gel the dispersed phase to a photographic dispersion comprising an aqueous medium and a dispersed liquid organic phase comprising a photographically useful compound which is (i) soluble in organic solvents, (ii) substantially insoluble in water, and (iii) subject to particle growth of at least 10% of its initial particle size when maintained in said dispersion in the absence of the added photographically inert compound.

Abstract: A method of making polymeric particles by forming a suspension of ethylenically unsaturated monomer droplets in water, the water containing a particulate suspension agent, the monomer droplets containing a nonreactive hydrophobic compound where the water solubility of the nonreactive compound is less than that of the monomer and polymerizing the monomer droplets.